expression
showing no signs of; there being no hint of
Used in the pattern 〜気もない to indicate a complete lack of a particular feeling, intention, or atmosphere. Often follows nouns like やる気, その気, or 人気.
彼はやる気もないのに、会議に参加している。
He attends the meeting even though he has no motivation at all.
その部屋には人の気もなかった。
There was no sign of anyone in that room.
expression
Archaic usage meaning something is beyond consideration or unimaginable. Rarely used in modern Japanese outside of classical or literary contexts.
古文では、「気もない」が「思いもよらない」という意味で使われることがある。
In classical texts, 気もない can be used to mean 'unthinkable' or 'beyond imagination'.
気がない means 'having no interest' or 'not inclined', while 気もない emphasizes a complete absence of even a hint of that feeling or atmosphere.
The expression combines 気 (spirit, feeling, mood) with the particle も (even) and the negative ない (not), literally 'not even a feeling'. The archaic sense likely developed from the idea of something being so far from one's mind that it is unthinkable.